Fuse block



W. P. LOUDON FUSE BLOCK Filed March 24, 1921 M 1. 11

INVENTOR War/"en P Lot/d0.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES WARREN r. reun on, or 'wmxmsncne,

PATENT OFFICE.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '.l.0 WESTING- VANIA.

FUSE

BLOCK.

Application filed March 24,1921. Serial No. 455,018.

To all whom it may] concern.

Be it known that I, WARREN P. 'LoUnoN'; a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented a new and useful Improvement in Fuse Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fuse mechanism and particularly to fuse blocks for use with automobile generator systems.

One object of my invention is to provide a fuse block having a metal base and enclosing cover wherein the cover is pressed from one piece of metal and yieldingly engages the base and is retained in assembled relation therewith.

I Another object is to provide a fuse block wherein metal stampings and insulators stamped from sheet insulating material are substituted for the more expensive and less durable molded insulation commonly employed in fuse blocks of this type.

Another object is to provide a fuse block that is compact and simple in construction and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects, that will be made apparent through the further description of the invention, are attained by means of, the fuse mechanism hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View, partially in elevation and partially in longitudinal section, of the fuse block and the housing;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the fuse block taken on the line II-II of Fig.

1' and a V Fi 3 is a perspective view oftliebase mem er.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism includes a metal base member 4 that is stamped from sheet metal and which is pro- .vided with two-pairs of upstruck wing mem hers 5, each pair being disposed adjacent the to insulate the fuse supporting mechanism, to behereinafter described, and to prevent the members thereof from coming in contact with the supporting wings 5.

A fuse clip 7 is mounted between the up- I turned wings of the insulator 6. the clip being stamped from sheet metal and bent to form a clip f U-shape having curved sections 8 disposed in opposite relation for the purpose of receiving the end of a cartridge fuse 9. The fuse clips 7 and the insulators 6 are secured to the base member 4 by means of metal rivets 11 which extend through the base member and are attached to metal terminal members 12 which are stamped from sheet metal. An insulator 13 of L-shape is disposed between the attaching face 14 of the terminal member 12 and the metal base 41 and serves to insulate the latter from the terminal member. The

base is provided with a perforation through which an attaching screw 15 is inserted for the purpose of attaching the base member to a support that is mounted upon the automobile structure at any convenient location.

The support 20 is provided with a pair of perforations 21 through which the terminals 12 and the insulating strips 13 project. The insulators 13 are of greater width than the terminals and, therefore, prevent the terminals from coming in contact with the support and also 'serve to prevent rotation of the base 14 about the axis of the attaching screw.

In order to protect the fuse and the fuse clip members, a sheet metal housing 16 is provided which is pressed of thin sheet metal. It will be seen from the drawings that this housing includes side and top walls which completely surround the fuse mechanism and that the sides of the housing overlap the edges of the base member 4.

, The ends 17 of the housing are provided with indentations'18 which engage the base member adjacent to the ends thereof and yieldingly retain the housing in assembled relation with the base member. The elasticity of the housing permits the indentations 18 to spring outwardly when thecover or housing is moved to closed or assembledrelatipn with respect to the base member No attaching screws are necessary for retaining the housing and it may be readily removed or replaced, the indentations 18 serving as a snap latch for retaining the cover.

Fuse blocks have been heretofore made having a base member formed of molded porcelain or insulating compound. Such bases are unsatisfactory for the reason that they are frequently broken in the assembling operations in the factory and in shipping and because the screws for retaining the fuse clips incident to this form of construction become loosened and, consequently, result in an imperfect contact. By reason of the construction above described, rivets may be employed to secure the fuse clips to the base member with the result that the fuse clips never become loosened. There are many advantages incident to the abovedescribed construction the more important being the reduced :cost of manufacture, the

' compact form of the construction,

the durability thereof and the convenience of attaching the housing, without the use of SCI'GWS.

' I claim as myi nv'ention 4 v 1. A fuse block comprising a metal base portion having upturned wing members thereon, an insulator of U-shape inserted between the wing members, a fuse clip of U- shape mounted on the insulator between the wing members, a terminal member secured to the fuse clip and extending through the base member and an insulator separating the terminal member from the base member.

2. A fuse block comprising a metal base portion having a pair of wing members upstruck from the base member disposed at opposite ends of the base member, an insulator inserted between each pair of the wing members, a fuse clip mounted on each insulator and disposed between the wing members, a separate terminal member secured to each fuse clip and extending through the base member and an insulator for separat ing the terminal members from the base member.

' 3. The combination with a fuse base sup port having a pair of spaced perforations, of a fuse base having a pair of terminal -members extending through the perforations, and flat insulators of greater width than the terminal projecting through the perforations for preventing contact of the terminals with the base.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of March, 1921.

WARREN P. LOUDON. 

